King Charles has revealed why Queen Elizabeth II decided to spend her final days at the Royal family’s castle in Scotland.
In a speech at Holyrood marking the 25th anniversary of the Scottish parliament, Charles spoke of Scotland’s ‘uniquely special place in the hearts of my family’ and suggested his mother decided it was where she wanted to die.
‘My late mother especially treasured the time spent at Balmoral, and it was there, in the most beloved of places, where she chose to spend her final days’, the monarch said.
The Queen traditionally spent the summer at Balmoral castle in Aberdeenshire, where she died at the age of 96 on 8 September 2022.
Anne said her mother spoke about concerns that her dying in Scotland, where she was happiest, might be logistically more complex than if she died in London or Windsor.
In a BBC documentary last year, Anne said: ‘I think there was a moment when she felt it would be more difficult if she died at Balmoral. I think we did try to persuade her … that shouldn’t be part of the decision-making process. So I hope she felt that was right in the end, because we did.’
Charles was joined by Queen Camilla for his speech at Holyrood, and told those in attendance: ‘We are all, at the end of each day, united by our love of Scotland.’
He also referred to the mace the late Queen presented to the Scottish parliament 25 years ago, which Charles said was engraved with ‘the qualities to which we all aspire and that represent the very foundations of the relationship we share: wisdom, justice, compassion, integrity’.
The King said: ‘In those intervening years, much has changed in our world, but those most Scottish of values have remained steadfast.’
‘We are often told that we live in an era of polarisation and division. If that is so, then it is perhaps even more important, not less, that in the vital areas of representation, of political debate, of policymaking and of discourse, these values — together with hope, civility, and generosity of spirit — are never far from the heart of even the most difficult of issues.’
(Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images For Buckingham Palace)
King Charles, 75, is currently undergoing cancer treatment after being diagnosed with the condition in February.
The cancer was discovered during treatment he was receiving for an enlarged prostate.
He will remain at Birkhall, his home on the Balmoral estate, until Wednesday, when he will return to London as he has done weekly while in Scotland over the summer to continue with his treatment.
Separately Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales was also diagnosed with cancer back in March, and has began a course of chemotherapy.
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